Group Accuses Benue APC Senatorial Candidate Of Scam, Purchase Of PVC

Members of Benue Redeemers Vanguard, BRV, yesterday raised concerns over what it described as the antics of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Benue North East senatorial candidate, Mrs. Mimi Adzape-Orubibi to allegedly obtain the voters’ cards of her constituents through unacceptable means.

Addressing the media in Makurdi, President of BRV, Comrade Fanen Datso and Secretary Aondover Tor, also accused the senatorial candidate of allegedly obtaining sums of money from her constituents through promises of getting them enrolled into the Food Vendor and other components of the Social Investments Programme.

“The unjustifiable act started in Kwande local government area on October 24 where the sum of N2,000 is being collected from members of the unsuspecting public in the guise of recruiting them into the Food Vendor and other components of the Social Investments Programme namely N-Power and Conditional Cash Transfer.

“It is also alleged that her agents in charge of these activities are collecting voters identification numbers and in some instances photocopying the Permanent Voters’ Cards of the victims. “We implore the general public not to pay any dime to these agents as information gotten from the National Social Investment indicated that there is no recruitment into the programmes at the moment.

The group urged the APC senatorial candidate and her agents to desist forthwith with the said act, adding, “we also wish to draw the attention of the National Social Investment office to these unwholesome activities. “We call on the law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter to avoid a break down of law and order when those who paid to be recruited demand for their monies when the purpose of payment is not met.”

But is a swift reaction, the senatorial candidate through her Media Assistant, Terna Francis said the accusation was false, unfounded, baseless and intended to tarnish her reputation and present her good deeds for her people in bad light for political reasons. Explaining Francis said, “I couple of months ago, Mrs. Mimi Adzape-Orubibi met with the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment Programme in Abuja. In the cause of their discourse, it was noted that Benue had largely benefited only from N-Power and little from the Home Grown Feeding Programme.

“The other programmes under the scheme such as Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and others were completely ignored in Benue owing to lack of awareness from the state office. “In a swift response to the above, the APC Senatorial flag bearer met with the management of a bank (name withheld) who accepted to step down the account opening fee from N5,000 to N2,000 due to economic hardship on the condition that the bank officials will be transported to the various locations and their feeding taken care of by the senatorial candidate.

“According to the bank, once the account is opened, the balance from the N2,000 will be credited therein after the statutory deduction for ATM card and the respective account owner alerted. As at the time of writing this rejoinder, many have received their account details as well as their ATM cards. On the subject of Voter Identification Number (VIN), it is only one who is ignorant of the requirements for opening of account that will question why bankers should request for any mode of identification which includes voter’s card since very few rural dwellers have International Passport, Driver’s license or National I.D card, even though no premium was placed on the former.”